Chapter 1

Whoa. That was all I could say when we stepped into the lobby of the hotel. I stared at my mom and George's backs incredulously- not that they could see my face anyway. They looked at each other with grins and George pecked my mom on the lips. Lizzie and Edwin took a spot on these two huge, comfy chairs. Edwin had out a notebook- probably working on a scheme of some sort. Lizzie closed her eyes and most likely drifted to dream land. My mom and George went to the front desk with Marti. So, that left me standing with the big lump in our family. AKA my step brother Derek.

I couldn't believe this place. The white marble floors had a maroon colored rug over it where the couch and chairs were and the front desk had marble countertops. The elevators doors were a shiny gold. I could practically see myself in them. Heck, I could see myself in the floors. They obviously kept this place in tip top condition. I huffed and pursed my lips. I only had one question and that was how could we afford to stay in this hotel?

"You know? You would be the only person angry about being in sin city," Derek said with a crooked grin. My eyes met his and I only narrowed mine further.

"I'm not big on sins like someone else in this very room," I retorted. Derek glanced behind himself and all around before facing me.

"Me?" he asked with mock shock. I rolled my eyes. "Casey, what have I always said?" I only shrugged. "Live a little dangerously."

"Oh such great advice! Every time I listen to you it always ends up horrible. Exhibit A: we throw party, I join in, we get caught, grounded, and I am stuck cleaning the mess-"

"Please don't go onto exhibits B and C. I don't need a lecture on things that have happened in the past. I was there, you know?" he said diverting his eyes over to a light fixture. I rolled my eyes and kept quiet as mom and George were returning. George looked normal but my mom was fidgeting and had that weird smile she does when she knows something is going to happen that I don't like.

"Um, mom? Is everything alright?"

"Well, we had a little bit of a mix up with rooms. We meant to get three: one for you and Lizzie, Derek and Edwin, and then us with Marti but they only booked us for two rooms. So, um. The four of you will have to share a room," she rambled. My jaw dropped and Derek gritted his teeth.

"I CAN'T SHARE A ROOM WITH HIM!"

"I CAN'T SHARE A ROOM WITH HER!"

"I'm sorry. For now, that's the only thing we can think of. We'll think about it more later but for now it's how it is. Don't worry. It will probably change tomorrow morning," my mom said calmly. I faced the facts: it didn't matter how much I whined or complained and I was going to lose no matter what.

Realizing those facts, I stomped my foot in agitation and grabbed my bags. I angrily grabbed the room key and started to head upstairs. "Lizzie come on!" She shot up from her chair and followed- dragging Edwin along. I glanced behind me to see Derek trudging along. I growled under my breath. Could this be any worse? It was supposed to be the best vacation ever but it got totally screwed over. First, I was stuck in Vegas- the cheesiest, filthiest, most disgusting place I ever heard about the U.S. But now, I had to share a room with Edwin and Derek?! My boots stomped harder with each step.

"Um, I know you're kind of psycho angry right now but why couldn't we have taken the elevator?"

I stopped and turned towards Derek. He was looking at me with a smirk. I rolled my eyes and just kept going. I noticed Lizzie shoot Edwin a worried glance before I fully turned around. I finally looked at the room key and figured out we had one more flight of stairs to go. We finally reached our room moments later- or so it seemed.

I opened the door and flung my bags on the bed. I turned around to get a glass of water when I stopped in my tracks. I turned around and horror flitted across my face- I was sure of it. ONE BED?! My eyes locked with Derek's and he growled.

"Oh no! You and Lizzie can take the couch bed. Edwin and I get the good bed," he said. I growled.

"No! Lizzie and I get the good bed!"

"Why should you?!"

"Why should YOU?!"

"GUYS! QUIET!"

We both looked down at Lizzie and were both shocked she would scream at us to stop bickering. That was usually Nora and George's job.

"Look, Edwin and I have a solution," she said with a wicked grin.

XOX

"This is so childish. I can't believe I got talked into this," I huffed. I crossed my arms over my chest and glanced at Derek- who was sitting on the bed beside me. The "solution" was to see who could sit on the bed the longest. I voiced how ridiculous I thought it was and then Derek was talking about how much he could beat me…and now I was roped into doing this. He grinned at me.

"I am very persuasive, especially with two other people already on my side," he said- now with a smirk on his face. I pouted and looked at the ceiling. We had already been sitting there for an hour. Lizzie, Marti, and Edwin went to go play around somewhere- maybe up to schemes- while Mom and George hit the slot machines and such in the Casino. I sighed. We were too young to even get into the Casino and too old to want to go where Lizzie, Marti, and Edwin were. This officially sucked.

"So," I said looking straight ahead of me- which was the TV. "Want to watch some TV?" He shrugged and then noticed that the remote was on the coffee table. I groaned.

"Want to go get the remote, Case?" he asked with that smirk again.

"It's alright Derek. You can go get it."

"Ah, but it was your idea so I'll let you go get it."

"Actually, I'm suddenly not in the mood for TV."

"Me either."

"Ok then."

"Alright."

I decided it was going to be a long night so I lied down and closed my eyes. It only felt like a minute had gone by when I felt a poke in my side. I sighed but kept my eyes closed. Poke. I turned over to my side so that my back was facing Derek. He poked me again.

"Derek, what do you want?"

"I have the craziest idea ever! A way to have some fun around here," he said with such enthusiasm. I sat back up and stared at him- waiting for his idea. "Don't you want to hear it?"

"No but go ahead anyway."

"We should get married!"

"Ha ha. Very hilarious, Derek. Now let me go to sleep."

"Will you just hear me out?" I sighed and nodded him to go on. "Look, it'll be this fun little joke. You know how Nora and my dad always encourage us to get along? Well, if we get married it'd be so funny. Because we could be all, 'Hey guys, we're getting along cause we're married!' It would be so funny," he said with a wide grin on his face.

"I don't know Derek. Getting married? Isn't that a bit…extreme for a joke?" I countered calmly. He rolled his eyes.

"It'll be funny. And then all we have to do is annul it the next day. It'll be fine."

"Wait a minute. How do I know this isn't some scheme cooked up to get me to get off the bed and for you to win?" I asked narrowing my eyes. He sighed and jumped off the bed.

"See. You win. Now lets go before all the wedding chapels close," he said pulling on my hand. I didn't budge.

"Don't we need our parents consent since we're minors? My mom and George would never let us do this," I said. He couldn't argue with me there and I had to hide the smile about to grow on my face. Suddenly, he grinned. Dang it.

"I have an idea."

XOX

"I can't believe you got George and my mom to sign that! How did you do it?" I shouted in a whisper voice. Lizzie had come back up to use the restroom- she didn't trust the public ones. I didn't blame her. Derek smirked at me.

"I have my ways."

"You tricked them didn't you?"

He glanced down at the piece of paper and had a shocked look on his face.

"You mean, this ISN'T a parent consent form to let us into a hip, teen lounge?"

I couldn't help but giggle. It was all too funny. I could finally understand his strange mind for once. This was actually very fun. Almost as much fun as when we snuck out to that party…well almost snuck out. We ended up denting George's car and I ended up never going anywhere.

"So, what's the plan?"

"My plan is to just sneak out. Dad and Nora are still at the Casino and Lizzie is going to be heading back down to play with Edwin. It'll be perfect," he smirked. I pursed my lips. "Don't worry. This time we won't have to worry about denting anyone's car." I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Funny," was all I said.

"I thought so. Now let's go," he said grabbing my hand and pulling me out of the room. I followed and pulled my hand out of his as soon as I could. We caught a cab and he dropped us off at the nearest chapel.

Derek and I stood in front of the chapel and I gulped. This was becoming so real now. It suddenly reached the front of my head what we were really doing. We were getting married! We took a sacred ceremony of love and were turning it into a big joke. But I couldn't object now. We were already here with the papers ready. I looked over at Derek and he was already looking at me.

"Let's do this, the future Mrs. Venturi," he said with a smirk. I smacked his arm and started to walk inside- he quickly caught up with me. As we stepped in, we were suddenly greeted by a man with great enthusiasm.

"Well HELLO! How can I help you folks today?" he asked grinning. It took all my might not to grimace. I looked up at Derek and we shared a grin. The man before us was tall, skinny, and lanky. He was very scrawny and Derek could probably take him no problem. I imagined them fighting and I had to stifle a giggle. His grin widened and he had a few crooked teeth. His hair was a complete mess. It was curly and just a big pile of poof.

"Um, we want to get married," Derek said wrapping his arm around my waist. I was about to pull it off when I remembered we were supposed to be in love. I glanced up at Derek and forced a wide smile on my face. When I looked back at the gangly man he was scrutinizing us with his eyes.

"How old are y'all?"

"Well, I'm seventeen and she's sixteen. Is that a problem, sir?" Derek answered again.

"Aww, young love is always the cutest. I can see it in your eyes. You truly are perfect for each other. But I'm going to need a parent's permission first," he said with a slight pout but keeping himself enthused. Derek and I grinned at each other.

"Already taken care of, " I said as Derek handed him the paper. He scanned it and looked at us with a huge grin.

"Well come on then lovebirds. Martha and Tom will get you guys ready and glammed up. Congrats you two," he said pushing us off to another room.

The last thing I saw was Derek before Martha dragged me off to a room to get ready for my wedding. My wedding with Derek Venturi. I gulped.

Martha sat me down and showed me a couple of dresses to choose from. I chose the simplest out of all of them. It was, of course, white. It was strapless and it went down to the floor almost. I left my boots on though. After I got dressed, Martha sat me down in a chair to do my hair. She curled it and put a couple pins in it. It was almost the same look I had at the prom- the second time; not the fiasco poodle look. I did my own make up and she took me to a mirror. I gaped at my appearance. I actually looked…stunning. Martha smiled at her work. I looked so much more sophisticated.

"He is a lucky young man," Martha said with a small smile. I grinned at her in the mirror. What would I say if I were really in love with him?

"I'm the lucky one," I replied in a heartbeat. Funny how the words came to me so easily. I pondered why as we left the room and into the chapel area part of it. But when I saw Derek standing at the altar all those thoughts fled my mind. A new group of thoughts filled my head.

Derek actually cleaned up pretty damn good. I shyly looked up at him and his lips were slightly parted as if he was amazed by something. It only lasted a short minute before his smirk took place on his face. I couldn't help but grin back. I looked at Martha and- who I figured was- Tom. They looked at us with these huge grins. Hmm, it felt so wrong to fool them. I shook away those thoughts and my eyes flittered to the man marrying us. He was also grinning at us.

Derek took both my hands in his and they were strangely comforting. His thumb was tracing circles on my skin and I wondered why he was even doing that. Did we really have to make such small gestures of affection to prove how in love we were? I let that thought leave quickly too because the gesture was comforting as well. I looked up into his eyes and I was almost in a trance. I couldn't believe I was actually doing this.

I was getting married to Derek. He was the bane of my existence. The stepbrother I loved to hate and I was sharing a ceremony of love with him? I knew how wrong it was but somewhere in my heart I knew it was right. My face contorted into something of confusion and worry. Derek gripped my hands harder and when I looked up he had this look as if asking me what was wrong. I placed a grin on my face and shook my head. This was silly. It was just a joke. This whole wedding meant nothing to either of us. Why should I let it bother me so much? Besides, we were going to get it annulled tomorrow anyway.

He smiled at me and then we turned to the man before us. The pastor grinned and then continued on with the ceremony.

I can't believe I wrote the prologue in January and didn't finish chapter 1 until now. I actually didn't start writing this until today. Anyways, thanks to Veronica for letting me use her idea for this story. It's been so much fun to write so far. I'm loving it. Hopefully the next chapter will be soon. Especially since school is out...I no longer have an excuse for me not to have quick updates. I'm shocked and amazed that with only a little prologue got 20 reviews, 27 alerts, and 7 favorites. It really means a lot you guys. Thanks so much. Hopefully this story will live up to your expectations and I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it. Thanks!

J.S. Goldberg